Kori’s Shoutout: The Gift of Life
Updated: Monday, 19 Apr 2010, 8:36 AM CDT
Published : Monday, 19 Apr 2010, 8:36 AM CDT
By Kori Chambers, FOX Chicago News
How about a Good Day Shoutout to some folks who are celebrating one of the greatest gifts you can give to another person: the gift of life.
On Sunday the shrine of our Lady of Pompeii hosted a celebration, which featured organ donors and organ recipients.
April is organ donation awareness month. Right now in Illinois 5,000 people are sitting on the list, waiting and hoping.
The first step to help is signing up to become an organ donor. You can do it online at lifegoeson.com.
BELOW IS THE PROGRAM FROM THE GREATEST GIFT EVENT SENT TO US BY OUR FRIEND STEVE FERKAU.
The Greatest Gift An Organ Donation Celebration
A celebration of the spiritual and life renewing aspects of the organ donation experience, featuring organ donors, organ recipients, donor families, members of the medical community, and all those who wait for ‘the greatest gift’ of healing life.
Sunday, April 18th 11:00 am
At the 11am Mass followed by Lunch and Program
Listen to the interview on WBBM-FM B96’s “Chicago Connection”
In collaboration with:
Illinois Secretary of State
Donate Life Illinois
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network
National Kidney Foundation of Illinois
The Greatest Gift is a celebration of the spiritual and life renewing aspects of the organ donation experience, featuring organ donors, organ recipients, donor families, members of the medical community, and all those who wait for ‘the greatest gift’ of healing life.
Program will feature a panel discussion with donors, recipients, medical staff, clergy and others impacted by ‘the greatest gift’.
Featured Speakers:
Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State
Anne Gulotta, is an ambassador for Gift of Hope with a passion to educate people about the importance of being an organ donor. Organ donation changed her life after the tragic loss of her husband, Jay. Anne has become close friends with Julie, who is alive today because of Jay’s kidney donation.
Panelists:
Dr. Enrico Benedetti, is Warren H. Cole Chair in Surgery, Professor and Head, Department of Surgery, Director, Transplant Center University of Illinois at Chicago.
Steve Ferkau, struggled almost 40 years with cystic fibrosis when he received two lungs from a beautiful organ donor from Iowa ten years ago. He ‘leaps tall buildings’ (climbs the Hancock) annually, in Kari’s honor. He wants others to know how her gift of life has allowed him to continue living. Steve is a volunteer with Gift of Hope and Iowa Donor Network.
Henry Gentile is known as the ‘miracle marathoner’ who ran in his 20th consecutive Chicago Marathon just four months after his liver transplant. Henry has a passion for home winemaking and volunteers with the Illinois Liver Foundation.
Tim Joos is a Donor Dad – whose 17-year-old daughter, Samantha, was killed in an automobile accident in November 2003. Sam's donations saved and improved the lives of many people. Since then, Tim has volunteered his time and effort to the Gift of Hope and Donate Life Illinois to honor Sam's memory. To hear more about Samantha’s story of donation visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmxlGP59AdI
How to Register:
This program is free of charge, reservations are necessary.
Call 312.421.3757 to register so that we may better serve you!
Learn more about The Greatest Gift” and Organ Donation -
Listen below to the interview on WBBM-FM B96’s “Chicago Connection”
Host Greg Murray interviews:
Lisa Petrilli of Marketing Executives Networking Group, an organ recipient, and Dave Bosch, Communication Director, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network who are both volunteering their time and talents to create this celebration!
1 comment:
Hey Glenn!!!
Hope you're doing awesome!!! Thanks for picking this up... Actually -- I'm in there too! Right in the beginning of the procession there are two Donate Life Quilts being brought up... I'm on the far side, holding the second quilt... But, there are a few others you know too that aren't as visible -- on the far side of the first quilt is J.R. Gulotta -- you met him at the Rose Parade, he's Anne's son... And on the opposite side of the quilt I'm carrying is Annie Gulotta (but she didn't manage to make the picture...)
It was actually a beautiful ceremony at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii -- the mass circled around organ donation, and Father Belmonte made a point of telling people that Pope Benedict carries a donor card and promotes donation... Afterwards, there was a panel discussion about organ donation -- here was the program:
The Greatest Gift
You take care... Keep doing what you're doing... Love, Steve
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